


Having Trouble Breathing In

by Torchiclove



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: College AU, F/F, Keyleth is a stressed out college student, Light Angst, Modern AU, Panic Attacks, Pike is a paramedic, Polyamory, background perc'ahlia - Freeform, briefly mentioned past kashleth, keyleth has an anxiety disorder and it features prominently, kind of, the gentle beginnings of perc'ildan in the background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2018-11-14 08:11:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11203950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Torchiclove/pseuds/Torchiclove
Summary: The paramedic would take her breath away, if the asthma hadn't done it for her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the song "Avant Gardener" from Keyleth's playlist.

The hazy mist of a morning in limbo hung like a cloud. Seconds ticked to minutes as the day slipped away, closer to another Monday wasted to waking up past noon, sacrificing even the idea of productivity. Keyleth peeled back the sheets, with first the idea of escaping the oppressive heat followed later by the thought of getting up.

It was barely past ten but the sun was unrelenting. The apartment felt washed out, just a haze of a place, cramped and uncomfortable. Keyleth knew the clutter was unbearable and yet she couldn’t bring herself to clean it up, and Percy was too busy wrapped in his affairs to even notice it. The half-finished mural on the wall stared vacantly at her, but the inspiration that spurred her to begin the swirls of orange, red, and green had been lost somewhere along the way. It was too hot to paint, too hot to think. 

There wasn’t much of a day to be had; mundanity fell upon Keyleth like an anvil. Class had been cancelled and there was no conceivable reason to go out. Percy had left before she even woke up, leaving only a half-empty cup of coffee in his wake. The thought of cleaning up the place was too much of a commitment, and she could barely stand another second stuck inside. She glanced at a potted cactus sitting in the windowsill, a gift from a friend because ‘you like plants, right?’

With a grin the fancy caught her, and she welcomed the sense of purpose that came with it. Stretching her still-groggy body, she went outside to the small garden she had the pleasure of tending when she pleased. It was sparse and a little neglected, but the seeds planted earlier seemed to be clinging to life. Keyleth had a grand idea of growing food, maybe starting an herb garden, just something little as a cheap solution for better cooking. The only problem with her idea was that the motivation was fleeting, but it was here now.

She examined the small garden, sprinkled water on some of the plants. She’d been fortunate enough that the rain had kept them alive through a period of low inspiration for her little garden, but the weather had taken a decisive turn towards the antagonistic. Even being outside for just a few minutes she felt like her mouth was full of cotton. 

Determination weighed over, though, as Keyleth took to pulling weeds from her garden in spite of herself. Admiring the little green tomatoes just starting to get a tinge of red distracted her from the discomfort, the slow wheeze that began building in her chest. Her mind was a thousand miles away as her hands shook and her body slowed. There were muffled sounds coming from inside the apartment, drawing her attention from the shortness of breath. 

There was a lot of peace in the moment, where Keyleth’s throat felt like it had become home to a hive of bees and her knees betrayed her body’s will to keep standing. Maybe it was the heat, or was she allergic to something? Time wasn’t quite real anymore, but a small prick of annoyance cropped up in her mind as she heard sirens in the distance.

It took longer to realize it was an ambulance, and Percy must not have left. She lamented in her timeless stupor about hospital bills that would never get paid off. 

Life was a blurry mess; adrenaline, straight to the heart, getting into an ambulance, seeing Percy’s face, stoic to the average observer but fraught with all his telltale signs of a panicked shutdown. She didn’t mind much in the moment, except for the stinging in her throat and the dull ache in her chest. Asthma, of course, it was asthma-usually not a problem, aggravated by the heat. 

It got better while she was in the ambulance, a little bit. Clarity came to her, a sudden shift from her hazy morning in a series of hazy days in a hazy existence Her chest still ached and her breath still wheezed, but she sat up and saw the paramedic in the ambulance with her. It could’ve been the asthma, but suddenly she was having trouble breathing in again.

She was a tiny woman, in the sense of being short, but even under the baggy hospital garb Keyleth could tell she was buff. She had a small, angelic face, framed with familiar shock-white hair that was trying to escape a tight bun. A few strands fell loosely down her cheeks, and her brow furrowed into a look of concern.

“Relax,” she said, a voice small and sweet as she placed a gentle hand on Keyleth’s shoulder. She couldn’t help but obey, laying back down and taking it in.

“I should’ve stayed in bed today,” she croaked, amused with herself, too tired for anything else. 

The paramedic cracked a smile, seemed to be glad that she’s looking alright, that it might not have been as serious as it could’ve been. “Your friend told us your name was Keyleth?”

Oh, Percy talked to them. Her chest seized again, awash with sudden worry. “Yeah.” She swallowed dryly, just trying to breathe, closing her eyes. “What’s yours?”

“Pike.”

“Mm.” Percy didn’t have a car, and the walk to the hospital was too long. Maybe he’d bum a ride from Vex? But then she’d be dragged into this, an endless cycle of inconvenience, all her fault. 

“What do you do?” Pike as, voice still soft and comforting. What a good voice for a doctor to have, Keyleth thought, it’s perfect.

“College, sometimes music, sometimes art.” She tried to shut out the familiar numbness that teased the end of her fingertips, the icy panic that flooded her system and made the aching in her chest worse than it should have been. 

Pike seemed to pick up on her unease, the small shake in her voice. She placed a hand on her shoulder again, cool and light and comforting. “What do you play?”

“Guitar, a little,” Keyleth said.

“That’s wonderful, you know. I’ve never been able to pick up an instrument.” She sounded genuinely impressed.

Keyleth laughed, a short, painful affair. “Yeah, but you stop people from dying.” She turned her head, opened her eyes, looked up at Pike’s face not far from her own. She was giving her a contemplative look, brow again furrowed.

“Yeah,” she said faintly, and the panic slowly passed, and Keyleth’s chest kept aching and her breath kept wheezing.

____________________________

Percy did bum a ride from Vex to the hospital. He rode there with his arms slung around her waist, uncomfortable at the back of the motorcycle, but willing to put up with it for Keyleth’s sake. He didn’t tell her that, but she knew, because Vex was there when he came in.

She didn’t have to stay long, just a little bit, just so they could check a few things. In and out, Pike said. Percy asked if she was alright and she said she was, and Vex gave her a gentle hug and nervously fiddled with the hem of her shirt. 

“I thought you’d left,” Keyleth mused, “Coffee on the counter. Thought you were long gone.”

“Honestly, you’re too presumptive. I was in the other room,” He said warmly. ‘Luckily,’ they all left unsaid, but knew just by looking at each other. Nobody wanted to acknowledge the simple mortality demonstrated by a surprise asthma attack.

“Vax is at home having a fit because he couldn’t come with,” Vex said, breaking the tenuous moment of silence, and they laughed at the hilarity that always ensues when fear isn’t realized. “I should really call before he runs down here himself.” She stepped out of the room, pulling out her phone, leaving Keyleth alone with Percy.

“Sorry…” She started, but she didn’t really know what to apologize for. She knew whatever she said Percy wouldn’t hear it, and yet she was compelled to, like a broken record. She just offered an awkward smile to convey what she meant, and he understood.

“Ki, don’t be sorry,” He sighed, but he grinned because apologies were so Keyleth of her, and it was nice to at least see her back to her normal self.

Their conversation was cut short by the tiny paramedic making her way into the room. Percy was unsure if he had to leave, but did so anyway, just in case, and followed Vex out to the sitting room to listen to her hushed conversation with her brother. 

“How are you doing?” Pike asked, all chipper smiles and bedside manners. 

“Just fine. Chest still hurts a little, but I’m alright.”

“Great, great. We need to give you this-” she handed her an inhaler “-and check a few things.” Vitals, of course; heartbeat, blood pressure, all was good. 

Pike was nice, great at small talk while she ran the necessary tests. She looked at Keyleth so curiously, like she was trying to figure something out but couldn’t. 

“You’ll be out of here in just a moment,” She assured with a signature smile, small dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth.

“Thanks, it was nice...as far as hospitals go,” Keyleth said, trying to save face from the stupid comment with an awkward half-grin.

Pike seemed to bite, returning a smile. “I’d like to hear you play sometime. Guitar, I mean, you said you played,” She said, a bit stilted, like this was the one part of the conversation that she’d rehearsed. It caught Keyleth off guard.

 

“I...I’m not very good,” She said, just barely remembering that she’d mention her small hobby in the ambulance. Her chest fluttered with the question. The air of formality between them had imperceptibly cracked, and suddenly the conversation took on a near-uncomfortable air of intimacy.

“Still, if you wouldn’t mind. I’m off tomorrow, I could stop by if you’d humor me for a bit.” She looked sheepish. 

“No, I don’t mind. Tomorrow.”

She was discharged, and Percy called a cab to take them home. Vex waved goodbye before she rode off on her motorcycle, taking a moment to tell Keyleth about Vax’s well wishes. Keyleth rarely had the right to say someone worried too much, but Vax was sometimes the exception, and it comforted her.

____________________________

“Percy, do you mind company tomorrow?” Keyleth asked, lounging on the couch after getting home. She’d given up the idea of productivity for good and decided instead to just relax and enjoy being able to breathe.

“When?” His voice came from the other room, too absorbed in whatever he was working on to walk ten feet into the doorway, so Keyleth poked her head in instead.

“I don’t know, just sometime tomorrow?” 

“Yeah. Who?” His nonchalance had just the slightest hint of curiosity.

“A girl I met,” Keyleth said, evading the question in much the same way a bull evades the workers inside the china shop.

Percy let her have her mystery. With a screwdriver in one hand and a mug in the other, he turned back to his work on some sort of engineering project.

Percy, it turned out, was gone for most of the next day. When he left his half-empty cup on the counter this time it was because he had actually left, although Keyleth did catch him before. She managed to pull herself out of bed a few hours earlier than usual, rationalizing that she should tidy up a bit. The extra time mostly gave way to lounging and playing guitar, running through the few simple songs she knew and making sure the old instrument was tuned as well as it could be.

A little bit of the clutter was gone by the time Pike knocked on the door. The leaning tower of dirty clothes had been squirreled away, but there were still books and papers scattered across the floor. Most of the dishes in the sink had been washed, and all of the food left sitting on the kitchen table had been tossed. The apartment still felt messy and cramped; the cleaning was merely a pastime.

Keyleth opened the door with a nervous smile, and she felt her breath catch again. Pike’s hair was in the same messy bun, and she wore a light t-shirt that showed off much more of her muscle than scrubs did. Her face was turned up, brightly smiling as Keyleth towered over her.

And Keyleth did tower-she was a little over a foot taller than Pike, who must’ve been under 5’0.

“I’m glad to see you’re looking great,” Pike said, and Keyleth’s cheeks flushed pink before she realized she was talking about her health.

“Th-thank you,” she muttered, turning and gesturing for Pike to come in. “Yeah, sorry about the mess, but, you know how it is with college and all. We’re both really busy.”

“You have a roommate?” She asked, taking a few steps in and looking around.

“Yeah, Percy.” Keyleth pointed vaguely towards Pike’s loose bun. “He has white hair, too. Weird glasses, posh accent?”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you lived together! He seems really nice, congratulations,” she said quickly, apologetically.

“No, it’s not like...we _just_ live together, like, as friends, not the other thing,” Keyleth said, her eyes going a little wide.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...I don’t want to assume, it’s just…” She seemed lost for words, now a little flustered, and they both seemed to understand each other’s awkwardness in the moment.

“It’s fine, don’t worry. We get that all the time, but Percy’s more like a brother. He’s probably off with his girlfriend right now, doing something he thinks is punk rock.” Keyleth tipped her head back and laughed, led Pike over to sit on the old sofa.

“Is she the one with the motorcycle?” Pike asked, making herself comfortable on the far right of the couch.

“Yes, actually. Vex. She’s the badass one, Percy just thinks he’s cool.” Keyleth stayed standing, drifting closer to the corner of the small living room.

Pike giggled and put her chin in her hands, eyes following Keyleth around. “Yeah, I know someone like that, too,” she said, almost wistfully, like it brought up fond memories. Her lingering gaze was distracted as it fell on the wall, half-covered with paint, and she pointed to it with a questioning look.

“Oh, that…” Keyleth laughed sheepishly, “I do art, sometimes, but I kind of ran out of inspiration halfway through. I’ll finish it someday, but for right now it’s just a great abstract piece, I guess?”

“It’s beautiful,” Pike said, standing up and walking over. She put a hand against the wall, tracing a swirl of green that widened to the shape of a broad leaf, stopping just under the beginnings of a centerpiece to the painting that remained unfinished. More green stood out against the background of red and orange, like flames but softer. “What’s it supposed to be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe that’s why I haven’t finished yet, I haven’t decided what I want it to be. I guess something nature-y?” Keyleth walked over and studied her own work, enraptured not by the gentle curves and the contrasting color but the flaws, the spots where nothing looked like how she wanted it to be.

“It should be, like…” Pike took a few steps over, dragging her hand across the wall, “Symmetrical, but with something in the middle dividing the two sides.” She studied the work, tongue just poking out the side of her mouth as she considered her options. “Can you do animals?”

“Yeah, I guess. What kind of animal?”

“A deer, but like, just the head? The antlers could go just above where the background stops…” She reached up to show, but her arms were too short. “Just a thought, if you ever want to finish.”

“You have a good eye for art,” Keyleth said, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly as she watched Pike, her arm still stretched as far as it would go, turn around and blush slightly.

“Not really, that’s just what I think would look cool,” Pike said dismissively, looking down at the floor.

Keyleth cleared her throat to break the silence and change the subject. “You, uh, you said you wanted to hear me play?”

“Oh, yes!” She perked up, showing off her dimples again with a grin, “What kind of stuff do you know?”

Keyleth stood up and picked up her guitar case from the corner she’d last left it in, taking out a light brown acoustic with a black strap. She slung it over her neck and sat down on the couch again. “A bunch of hippie shit, if you ask anyone who knows me.”

“Hippie shit can still be good,” Pike said, scooting closer.

Keyleth blushed and looked away, starting a song with shaky hands. It was a simple but lovely chord progression, and after a few bars she started singing. Her voice wobbled at the beginning, but grew more confident as she got farther into the song. It was slow, not sad but not happy either, and Keyleth closed her eyes as she played, working her way around the missteps and pauses that came with a lack of practice.

Keyleth strummed the last chord and opened her eyes to see Pike, seemingly enraptured. Keyleth swallowed dryly, hit with a sudden wave of nerves. Her fingers tapped quietly on the wood of her guitar as she waited for Pike to say something.

“That was beautiful,” she said, with an honesty that took Keyleth by surprise. She’d expected polite disappointment, but was instead met with a genuine gratitude that she didn’t understand.

“Thanks, I haven’t really played for anyone in a-” She was cut off by the sound of the door opening, and both the women turned their heads to see Percy stroll in the door, his hair mussed and his hands stained with grease.

Pike peered around Keyleth, keen to get a closer look at her roommate, while Percy didn’t seem to notice either of them, disappearing immediately into the tiny kitchen just out of sight. 

“I didn’t think he’d be home this early,” Keyleth muttered, turning back to look at Pike. This was a lie; Keyleth didn’t have any idea when Percy would be home, and she rarely did. She figured he’d been at Vex’s, working on the motorcycle, or at least pretending to.

She grinned, looking around again to the entrance to the kitchen. “Hiiiii, Percy!” She called with just a hint of mischief in her voice.

He popped his head around the doorway, looking curiously for the unfamiliar voice. “Kiki?” He asked through a mouthful of food.

“I told you I’d have company today,” Keyleth said, a little flustered. Pike perked up behind her, sticking her hand in the air of waving it back and forth.

“Mm.” Percy swallowed whatever he was eating and walked over. He took note of the guitar still in Keyleth’s hand and raised an eyebrow, but didn’t call attention to it. “You’re the paramedic from yesterday.”

“Nice to meet you, my name’s Pike,” She said, hopping up from the couch and extending a hand for Percy to shake. He was shorter than Keyleth by a few inches, but he still towered over Pike.

He accepted, noticeably shocked by her tight grip, and cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you, too, Pike.”

Percy took a step back, already turning towards his room. “If you don’t mind, I’ll leave you to your business.” He was gone in just a few seconds, loosely shutting the door behind him.

“He seems fun,” Pike said as she returned to her seat.

“Yeah, he’s...always like that,” Keyleth said. She felt her face go flush with embarrassment, and she was suddenly even more stressed about entertaining her guest. 

Luckily for her, Pike seemed eager to talk about just about everything. Keyleth was relieved that she didn’t have to carry the conversation, and was eager to listen. She didn’t know how long they sat there, chatting idly on couch, until Pike suddenly realized that she had to leave.

“Sorry, I forgot I’d made plans with my brother, but it was so nice to see you again,” she said, slightly flustered, as she made her way to the door.

“You too,” Keyleth echoed, sad that she had to go but also somewhat relieved to be alone.

“Can I come over again sometimes?” She asked, cracking a wide smile. She asked like she expected the answer to be no, like she had to charm Keyleth into putting up with her.

“Of course, um, whenever I’m not at class, just…” Keyleth paused as she saw Pike pull a pen out from her pocket. Pike looked around and didn’t see any paper that looked unimportant, so she walked over and grabbed Keyleth by the hand.

“Just call me and we’ll see what time works,” She said softly, scribbling her number on the back of Keyleth’s hand in black ink. 

Keyleth, speechless, just nodded and watched as Pike left.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keyleth finds her curiosity about her new friend growing, and she can't seem to escape the ripple it causes in her little family.

“I’ve never seen you play for anyone before.”

Keyleth jumped, startled by Percy’s sudden appearance. She still had the guitar strap around her neck, never bothering to put it up the whole time Pike was talking to her. She blushed in embarrassment, and set the instrument to the side.

“She asked, it’s why she came over! I didn’t want to tell her no,” she said sheepishly, slumping against the couch.

Percy grinned, sly and calculating and undeniably filled with all the love in his heart. “I like her,” he said, putting an arm around Keyleth’s shoulder and giving her more of a shake than a hug. “Tell her to come back.” 

Vex was in Keyleth’s afternoon biology class, so she caught a ride on the motorcycle instead of the bus. It always kind of scared her, but in a good way, and she loved the way Vex smiled when they were going absolutely too fast, wind whipping the hair that spilled from the back of their helmets.

“You should get a sidecar for carrying us around,” Keyleth said, hopping off in the parking lot with shaky legs and sore arms from holding on too tight.

“I’d just use it to bring Trinket with me,” Vex laughed, “You’d be stuck walking.”

Keyleth rolled her eyes, and they started making their way towards class. They had spare time and walked slowly, filling the air with familiar friendly conversation. Vex talked about Vax’s antics, about Trinket and Percy, which covered just about all of their friend circle. Keyleth mentioned her brief visit from Pike, and Vex took an immediate interest.

“Pike? I don’t know her, who is she?”

“The paramedic from yesterday, you know-”

Vex’s eyes went wide as she cut her off. “The short one with white hair? Kiki!” she gave her a light slap on the shoulder, wolfish grin creeping across her face. “She’s adorable!”

Keyleth gave her a confused glance, embarrassed by Vex’s sudden shift in attention. “Yeah, I guess?” she mumbled, bringing her hand up to brush wind-swept ginger hair behind her ears.

Vex, among other things, had excellent vision, and knack for noticing details. So as Keyleth’s hand came up, she immediately saw the digits still scrawled across the back, and her smile only widened.

“She gave you her number, to call her, to see her again?”

“She just wants to hang out again, it’s not that big a deal,” Keyleth said, flustered and trying her best to get Vex to stop talking about it.

“Keyleth! Do you like her?” she teased, relishing every moment.

“Oh, look, we’re here, can’t talk anymore! Important class today, you know,” Keyleth said quickly, relieved to see they’d reached the building. She ducked into the doorway without a second glance and Vex followed leisurely, still grinning the whole way.

It was hard to concentrate in class with Vex giving her winks and eyebrow wiggles from across the room. She was eating up the awkwardness of the situation and the chance to tease Keyleth. Keyleth blushed quietly and tried to ignore it, but to no avail. When Vex demanded to be seen, it was impossible to refuse.

A long hour of lecture passed by, only stretched by the embarrassment. Keyleth was secretly glad that Vex wasn’t in her next class, but still lamented that she’d probably end up riding home with her. At least the motorcycle was too loud for meaningful conversation.

Vex pounced on her as soon as class was over, but only had a few minutes to pry before they had to head in separate directions. It was nice to be alone for a second, surrounded only by the vaguely familiar faces of classmates. 

This lecture went by much faster without the distraction, and before she knew it Vex was waiting smugly beside her motorcycle. She took one look at Keyleth’s immediate expression of dread and laughed, climbing onto the vehicle and patting the seat behind her. 

“I’ll give you a break,” she said, “As long as you promise to go for it.”

Keyleth let out an audible sigh of relief, and climbed on the motorcycle behind Vex. “Promise,” she muttered as she put her helmet on.

Another short, slightly terrifying ride later, Keyleth was standing at her door. She gave Vex a quick goodbye hug before opening it.

“Oh, I forgot to mention,” Vex called right as Keyleth turned around. She looked back at her curiously, half-expecting another bout of teasing. “Vax was wearing those shorts you got him.”

“Oh my god, that was a joke!” Keyleth said, blushing bright red as she remembered the neon pink shorts that said ‘juicy’ on the butt that she’d found at a yard sale. “I didn’t think he’d actually wear them, do they even fit?”

“Tragically, yes. I think he just did it to fuck with Percy, honestly. But you owe me one, I have to _live_ with that.”

“Oh, is that still going on?” Keyleth asked, rolling her eyes.

“They’re both idiots, but they’ll figure it out eventually. I’ve told Percy I’m alright with it, but you know how he is.” Vex chuckled at the absurdity of it. She wrinkled her nose, adding, “But it’s still kinda gross seeing someone look at my _brother_ like that.”

“He probably feels the same way when Percy looks at you,” Keyleth countered, shrugging. “Good luck.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Try to talk some sense into that disaster. See ya.” Keyleth closed the door as Vex winked and disappeared down the hallway.

____________________________

Keyleth texted Pike, just a quick, “Hi, it’s Keyleth, this is my number.” It filled her stomach with butterflies, and Percy watched like a curious cat as she lamented over her word choice directly after sending it.

A few minutes later, just as she was starting to push it out of her mind, Keyleth’s phone began buzzing. Pike was calling, which was as exciting as it was worrying. No, it was definitely more worrying. Keyleth answered with hesitation, pushing her concern to the back of her mind.

“Hey!” Pike said from the other end, her voice as chipper as ever. “Is now a good time? I just wanted to work out when we could hang out…”

Keyleth hadn’t expected to hear from her so soon. She was a bit taken aback by the eagerness, but she wasn’t going to refuse. They talked, Keyleth told her when she had class and when she was free, and Pike told her that her hours were usually regular, but it wasn’t unusual to get called in when she wasn’t expecting it.

“Is it okay if I just stop by when I’m free? Maybe in a day or two? I’ll call you, okay?” Pike said, with just a hint of nervousness in her tone.

“Yeah, just call me, that’s fine,” Keyleth said distantly, still in a state of disbelief.

“Bye!” Pike hung up, and Keyleth stared at her phone in the silence that followed. She didn’t understand Pike’s eagerness or her intentions, and it scared her. Her first instinct was to avoid it entirely, but she wanted to see where this would lead. Something about her was unusually endearing; it felt like she slotted into Keyleth’s life in the way that most people didn’t. The few friendships she’d had outside her current group-Percy and the twins-felt clumsy and superficial in comparison.

Something about Pike warded away the fear that colored Keyleth’s life, and it was refreshing, and it was terrifying in its own right.

Pike called Keyleth the next day, not to ask about coming over, but just to talk. It caught Keyleth off guard; she’d never been versed in social etiquette, so she couldn’t tell if it was weird. They didn’t have an overly-long conversation, just a fifteen minute chat where Pike asked a few getting-to-know you questions and Keyleth answered with increasing anxiety as she paced around the cluttered floor of the apartment. 

Percy and Vex watched every development with keen eyes, like a pair of gossipy hawks. Vex’s general answer to every question was, “It’s because she likes you,” and Percy mirrored the sentiment. They weren’t helpful at all, and Keyleth floundered with her feelings. She resolved herself to follow her heart, whatever that meant, but it didn’t help with the confusion.

And yet, the flutter of nerves when Pike called wasn’t the same as the cold fear that Keyleth had grown accustomed to in her everyday life.

____________________________

True to her word, Pike called the next day to come over; it was late afternoon, and Keyleth figured she could forego studying for a few hours. She knocked on Percy’s door and told him Pike was coming over, and he replied with a muffled grunt.

Ten minutes later, Pike knocked on the door, and Keyleth felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She swallowed her nerves and answered with a smile.

Pike was beaming on the other side, wearing an oversized white t-shirt with a few splotches of blue on the shoulders. 

“Um, come on in,” Keyleth said with a small, awkward cough. 

Pike walked into the apartment and gave a quick look around before situating herself on the couch and turning to look at the mural on the wall. “I wanna help you paint the rest of it,” she said matter-of-factly.

Keyleth’s eyes went a little wide. “Oh, uh, okay, have you ever painted before?” She realized, then, that Pike had come dressed for the occasion-with a shirt she didn’t mind messing up.

“No, but I’m here for emotional support,” she said, keeping up her wide grin.

Keyleth melted a little. “Alright, let me get my stuff.” She rooted through her small closet for her paints and brushes, which had gone untouched for nearly a month. She tied her hair back into a ponytail and took a moment to decide that she didn’t care about the t-shirt she was currently wearing before walking back into the living room, where Pike eagerly waited. 

Keyleth started with the easiest part by outlining the second half and the symmetrical, swirling leaves. Pike was rapt as she watched her paint, making small talk and comments while Keyleth concentrated. 

“Here, do you want to help with this part?” Keyleth asked after there was a solid outline of green paint.

Pike perked up from her spot on the couch, and took a few steps towards Keyleth with hesitation. “I meant it when I said I’ve never painted before,” she said.

“Don’t worry, it’s not hard,” Keyleth said cheerily, picking up a medium-sized brush and dipping it into the green paint. “Just fill in the outline and I’ll go over it with the details.”

“Is there a certain way to do it?” Pike asked, a little shyly, like this wasn’t really what she expected.

“Yeah, here, let me show you.” She gave the brush to Pike, and she took her hand and guided it through the motions of the correct brushstrokes.

Pike didn’t say anything, but she blushed furiously, and Keyleth didn’t notice as she mumbled directions and tips. Halfway through her explanation, her brain caught up with what she was doing and she let go of Pike’s hand, suddenly embarrassed by herself.

There was a moment of awkward tension, all fluttering anxiety and buried hope. Pike coughed a little, a shy smile across her face, and asked, “Um, can you show me again?”

Keyleth took the invitation gladly, if a little hesitantly, and spent a few minutes showing her the ropes of painting by guiding her, hand-in-hand. By the time she was through, most of the outline was already filled in.

Keyleth grabbed another brush to do a little work on the red and orange swirls of the background, and Pike looked a bit disappointed. They continued like, Keyleth pointing out easy spots that Pike could fill in while she worked on the more complex details. They laughed and talked while they painted, the kind of pointless conversation that fills the silence of concentration.

Pike seemed to be taking her job as painter very seriously, working slowly to make sure she didn’t make any mistakes, whereas Keyleth painted more loosely, with the confidence afforded by practice and skill.

Nearly an hour of work laid a solid foundation for the second half of the mural, and it it suddenly occurred to Pike to ask, “How did you get permission to paint on the walls?”

Keyleth laughed. “It’s kind of a long story, but the landlord really likes us.”

Pike raised a curious eyebrow, but didn’t pry. She put her brush down and both of them retreated to the couch. Keyleth admired their handiwork from the new angle while Pike admired Keyleth.

A smudge of green paint on Keyleth’s cheek caught her eye, and, once noticed, she couldn’t ignore it. Keyleth turned and the words on her lips died when Pike reached a hand forward and cupped her chin, rubbing the spot of green with her thumb.

Pike was a short woman with short arms, and in reaching her hand forward she brought her face close to Keyleth’s. She looked dazed, like a deer caught in headlights, with a whisper of a smile still on her partially-open lips. 

Pike had very pretty eyes, Keyleth decided in the split second after the hand left her face. It was a small gesture that, once completed, lost the weight of the stretched seconds it had warranted. Pike showed her the spot of green now on her thumb as an explanation; Keyleth laughed, joked about her clumsiness, let the moment sink from her mind into her chest where its heaviness found home in her heart.

Pike couldn’t stay for much longer, and they were both reluctant for her to leave. In a way, it was a relief for Keyleth, to end the heaviness of the air that hung with everything they didn’t say to each other. But at the same time, she hated to see Pike go.

“See you soon,” Keyleth said hollowly as she waved goodbye. Pike responded with a clumsy wink and disappeared down the hallway. 

Keyleth breathed a heavy sigh of mingled relief and disappointment, only to hear the sound of Percy rustling in his room as soon as she shut the door. 

“Have fun?” he asked, popping his head out of the doorway. He had that mischievous, loving glint in his eyes that meant he knew more than he was letting on.

“Always,” Keyleth called dismissively, disappearing behind the partition of a wall that superficially separated the kitchen from the living room, just where Percy couldn’t see her from his door.

“She got you painting again,” he said incredulously, alerting her that he’d wandered out of his lair.

“She’s very persuasive,” Keyleth defended.

“You’re easily persuaded,” Percy countered.

“You’re just as bad as Vex!” 

“You know that’s a compliment,” he said, with a Cheshire grin as he walked into the kitchen with her. He sat down at the small, rarely-used table, and Keyleth humored him by taking the chair opposite.

“Are you here to give me advice?” She asked dejectedly.

“No, I just want to ask what you’re doing.”

“What do you mean what am I doing?”

“With her, what are you _doing_?” He asked pointedly.

“I’m seeing where this goes, I guess,” she echoed, avoiding eye contact.

“Do you want to introduce her to the rest of your family?” Percy asked, and Keyleth realized that this was what he was getting at the whole time. The questioning, the curiosity, even from Vex, came from a sense of wary excitement. 

They didn’t stray from each other, ever since they met. They’d never needed to. Keyleth was the first to go outside the group, and it felt weirder than it should’ve, and it didn’t feel weird at all.

“I guess I have to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This went in a different direction than I thought it would, but enjoy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody meets Pike, and Pike's friend, and their family is almost complete.

Pike and Keyleth flirted with each other for the next few weeks, clumsily and unbeknownst to themselves. Pike fell into the rhythm of calling Keyleth every day she didn’t see her, and they grew from a few minutes of pleasantries to over an hour of conversation.

Keyleth wouldn’t acknowledge her growing affection for Pike, of course, and she’d happily ignored what Percy and Vex claimed were obvious signs of interest. Denial, in its own way, was bliss, and Keyleth was a champion at ignoring something uncomfortable

Pike, when she wasn’t at work, spent much of her time at Keyleth’s apartment, painting and talking and making up any excuse she could to be there. Keyleth never questioned it. 

All the while, the conversation she had with Percy burned in the back of her mind. It was suspended in the moments she spent with Pike, and Percy never mentioned it again, but she could see the question in his eyes.

Keyleth selfishly kept Pike to herself. She mentioned her other friends, told her stories and jokes, but never introduced her to them. Percy was always squirrelled away in his room or at Vex’s, unwilling to intrude without permission, and Vex gave her a similar berth. Vax would mention it in passing, but he respected her too much to ever pressure her.

Keyleth was waiting for the perfect moment, and it finally came when Pike asked her to go out, rather than hanging out at Keyleth’s apartment.

“I know this guy who’s in this band, and they’re playing at this little place tomorrow night,” Pike said softly, in the familiar setting of Keyleth’s living room. “If you want to go, they’re actually pretty good.” 

Keyleth’s immediate instinct was to politely decline and avoid the social situation, but she swallowed the unease and smiled. “Can I bring a few friends with me?”

“Yeah, you should! It’ll be fun!” Pike’s eyes lit up in the way they always did when she was sincerely excited, and Keyleth’s heart melted. It was almost worth the regret that she was sure she’d feel later. Almost.

Pike went into detail about the place that the ‘guy she knew who’s in a band’ was playing at, but didn’t mention any more about the supposed friend. It was a small bar, but Pike claimed it was nice. It wasn’t somewhere Keyleth had ever been, which was a bit of a surprise. Between her and Percy, they’d been to just about every bar in town.

They said their goodbyes, Pike still abuzz with excitement, and Keyleth barely able to contain herself with how adorable it was to see Pike smiling and chattering. She closed the door and braced herself to see Percy slink out of his room like a cat and rib her for how bad she had it for her tiny friend. 

Percy took only a moment to step into the living room, but he didn’t take the opportunity to poke fun as his romantically inept roommate. He jumped straight into the heart of the matter. “So where am I going tomorrow night?”

“Listening in on my conversations is weird, Percy.” Keyleth said evasively.

“You would’ve had to tell me at some point,” he countered, “And anyway, I’d love to go. I’ve just been dying to meet her.”

“You’re asking Vex and Vax, they’ll eat me alive if I do it,” Keyleth said, almost a plea, and Percy laughed and nodded.

“It’ll be fun!” he echoed in an imitation of Pike’s sing-song voice, and Keyleth chucked a pillow at him from across the room. Percy looked genuinely bewildered when it hit him square in the face, nearly knocking his glasses off, and Keyleth glared smugly as he turned wordlessly back into his room.

____________________________

It took both three weeks and two minutes for Friday night to arrive. The wait was agonizing and yet, once over, felt like it had barely happened. Keyleth buzzed with anxiety, a nervousness barely quelled by her friends’ presence.

Of the five of them, Pike was the only one with a car, which they had all agreed to pile into rather than Vex taking her motorcycle. The twins, ever anxious to meet Pike, waited expectantly at Keyleth’s apartment nearly an hour before it was time to leave.

They sat poised in their respective places in the apartment, Vax balanced precariously on the back of the couch and Vex idly chatting with her boyfriend at the kitchen table. They both held a restless energy, alert and ready to spring at any moment. 

Keyleth sat on the couch, shoulders near Vax’s head, and tried to distance herself from the excitement. If anything, she needed to be calm. She needed to avoid fucking everything up, like she’d been worried about doing for so long. She closed her eyes in quiet meditation.

“She cute, Kiki?” Vax’s voice, just above a whisper, startled Keyleth from her thoughts and made her jump.

“Vax!” she said sharply, smacking him on the shoulder and glaring in response to his playful grin. He didn’t budge, only laughed, quiet and smug, and opened his mouth to continue teasing her. Before he could get halfway through his next sentence, Keyleth was saved by a knock at the door.

She sighed in relief in the same moment that butterflies filled her stomach. Vex and Vax waited expectantly for her to get the door, and Percy offered only an encouraging smile. Keyleth steeled herself and turned the knob.

Pike beamed up at her, radiant as ever, and Keyleth’s heart swelled. This was one of the rare occasions that Pike’s hair wasn’t in a tight bun, but rather braided. She wore a band shirt with a logo that Keyleth didn’t recognize, but that she assumed was for the friend they were going to see. 

“Let me introduce you properly,” Keyleth started as she gestured for Pike to step inside. Vex had gotten up from the table and into the living room before Keyleth could turn around, and Percy still loitered by the door frame. Vax kept his position lounging on the couch, still smiling smugly as he looked Pike up and down.

“Vex’ahlia,” Vex said, sticking out her hand before Keyleth had time to say anything else, “Lovely to meet you, darling. You must be Pike.”

“Keyleth’s told you about me?” Pike asked, taking Vex’s hand and shaking it. Vex raised an eyebrow, surprised at how strong her grip was.

“Never shuts up!” Vax said almost immediately, wearing his signature shit-eating grin as he took a few steps to stand beside his sister. “Vax’ildan.” He put his hand out to shake, and Pike reciprocated.

Keyleth, trying to hide her embarrassment at Vax’s comment, looked to Percy for help. He grinned at her and moved from his position leaning against the wall. “Well, we should be going, right?”

Keyleth herded everyone to the car with minimal teasing, because Pike took the time to talk about the band they were seeing.

“...And there’s a big guy that plays bass, and I swear they have a new drummer every time, and the lead singer is the one I’m friends with,” she said, and she laughed like there was some kind of in joke only she got. “I think you guys will like him, he’s, uh, he’s something.”

Vex raised a concerned eyebrow at Keyleth, who only shrugged in response. Pike stopped talking as she pulled out her keys and unlocked the car.

It was kind of small, definitely a squeeze for all five of them, but it was doable. Everyone silently and unanimously agreed that Keyleth got shotgun. Percy ended up sitting bitch between the twins in the back after a few seconds of quiet bickering. 

The summer sun was setting after a long, hot day, tinging the sky orange and red. Pike continued her idle chat about the band and bar while driving, and it wasn’t long before they were there.

The place was pretty close to Keyleth’s apartment; it was small and not particularly crowded. The sign on the front of the building read ‘The Laughing Lamia’ and featured a stylized picture of a woman with a four-legged lion body sitting on a pile of treasure and drinking from a chalice.

“I appreciate the thing they’re going for,” Percy remarked as they walked inside and looked around. It was set up like an old-fashioned tavern, with all kind of novelty medieval knick-knacks displayed-a suit of golden armor, a fancy cloak, a gnarled wooden staff. It wasn’t terribly over-the-top, and the soft lighting inside made the place feel homey.

“I like it,” Vax said with a grin. “Think that sword’s real?” He pointed at a white blade hanging on the wall with an ornate sheath under it.

Percy gave it a keen glance and, ultimately, shrugged. “I’m sure you could stab someone with it.”

Pike ushered them forward and grabbed the table nearest to the small stage. They took their seat and ordered drinks, chatting idly and commenting on the decor while they waited for the show to start. 

There were only about 15 other people in the bar, mostly in groups. Keyleth noticed one person wearing the same shirt as Pike, but other than that, none of them seemed that invested. The bar murmured with quiet conversation, with the exception of their table.

They weren’t exactly rowdy, more like lively, but definitely not quiet. It was immediately noticeable, and almost a little weird, that everybody _loved_ Pike.

It just felt natural, they all silently agreed, the way she fit in with the rest of the group. Keyleth was immensely relieved that her friends shared her love, and she found herself relaxing into the night far more than she’d anticipated. 

More people trickled into the bar, until finally it was time for the band to go on. Pike watched the stage, rapt, and the rest of them followed her, now curious to see the friend she’d talked so much about.

Because she had talked about him, here and there, and he sounded absolutely wild. She told impossible stories that she swore were true from the few years she’d known him, all of which left them with a vague sense of both awe and unease. 

“-but no that’s _literally_ impossible,” Percy argued, only to be shushed by everyone as somebody stepped on stage. 

Scanlan wasn’t exactly what everyone expected.

“He’s so short,” Keyleth whispered to Pike, who beamed like the sun at the look on her face.

“He’s two inches shorter than me,” she said giddily, putting her chin in her hands and her elbows on the table as she watched expectantly, like she was waiting for something familiar.

Scanlan was indeed very short, but he had a large presence. His outfit was over-the-top and almost entirely purple, his brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail, his big, brown eyes scanning the crowd as he smiled so wide it was almost scary.

It was definitely a look, Keyleth thought, and she was intrigued not only by his interesting appearance but Pike’s reaction, which was to cheer very loudly. 

Vex and Vax shot each other a glance and joined in, while Percy opted to clap inconspicuously, and Keyleth was too caught by surprise to react. 

“I see my regular crowd made it!” Scanlan said loudly into the mic, voice surprisingly smooth, and he made eye contact with Pike, who whooped louder. A small chuckle rippled through the rest of the patrons-now about 25, excluding Keyleth’s group.

“Come on folks, cheer up! Drinks for the dedicated fans, the usual!” he winked at Pike and pointed towards the bar, where the bartender appeared to already be mixing drinks.

“And this is why I come to the shows,” Pike whispered. She leaned closer to Keyleth and grabbed her hand under the table. Keyleth blushed and felt a flutter of nerves, but Pike’s soft smile put her at ease.

Scanlan started the set while they got their drinks, some kind of purple cocktail that fit his aesthetic perfectly. The first song was fast-paced and loud, and Keyleth was caught off guard by how beautiful and smooth Scanlan’s voice was. It almost contrasted the mood of the song, but he made it fit.

Keyleth finished her drink, and another, smiled and cheered as the band played and Scanlan sang. Pike, even rowdier when drunk, laughed and cheered with her, always egged on by the extra attention Scanlan gave her while he was singing-a wink here and there, pointing in her direction, making eye contact. The chemistry visibly excited the crowd, and it almost seemed rehearsed.

After a veritable rollercoaster of genres and styles, from the fast-paced opener to a slow love ballad to something a little folky, the show ended on a loud, old-fashioned rock piece. By then they’d all gotten more than tipsy, and showed their enjoyment without inhibition. They almost forgot that it was a tiny crowd in a mediocre bar, just because of the effort Scanlan and his bandmates put into the performance.

He gave his last remarks, thanked the crowd, shamelessly advertised his t-shirts, and hopped off the stage. Without hesitation, he joined Pike’s table, grinning widely at all of them.

“Look at you, Pike, bringing all these people just to see me!” he said, wrapping her in a friendly hug that she gladly accepted. 

Keyleth, eyes slightly glassy with inebriation, stared at Scanlan, and didn’t notice or care when he returned a confused glance. “You’re very little,” she said, almost in awe, sticking out a hand towards him.

Vex sighed at her as Percy and Vax, much more drunk, cracked up, and Pike giggled. “It’s striking, isn’t it?” Scanlan said, taking the free chair right beside Keyleth. “Keeps people on their toes. Nobody expects the little guy!”

“You’re _very_ surprising, Scanlan,” Pike said, in a tone that insinuated a bit of a dig, and Scanlan clasped his hand to his chest in mock offense. 

“Is this a ‘big things come in little packages’ type deal?” Vax asked with a sly grin, nudging Scanlan with his elbow. 

“Wanna find out?” He was pouring all his charm into everything he said to them, shameless and confident in a way that was almost off-putting, if he didn’t pull it off so well.

“Scanlan!” Pike reached over and swatted his shoulder, “It hasn’t even been five minutes!”

“I can’t help myself, Pikey-poo, you surround yourself with such _gorgeous_ people…” Scanlan said with a cheesy grin as Pike rolled her eyes. As drunk as she was, Keyleth could still see the genuine heart-eyes he was giving Pike, and she wondered briefly what they were to each other.

It was only a passing thought, as Scanlan glanced around with his larger-than-life smile and asked, “And who are these gorgeous people you’ve brought me?”

“This is my date, Keyleth,” Pike said, taking her hand again, and Keyleth felt her face go bright red. Vex and Percy held back a laugh, but Vax couldn’t help his snickering. “And these are her friends, Percy-” she pointed to Percy, and then paused for a second, a brief panicked look in her eye. “-Vex and Vax,” she finished, pointing to the wrong twin for each name.

“Vax and Vex,” Vex corrected quickly, gesturing to her brother then herself while Pike gave a sheepish look. “Don’t worry, darling, everyone does it.”

“Lovely to meet you all.”

They talked and drank, even rowdier now with their new addition, and Keyleth dwelled briefly on the fact that Pike considered her a date. She should’ve known it was date, it was so obviously a date, but she’d never considered it. The thought burned at the back of her mind for a bit, but it wasn’t long until the distractions outweighed it.

____________________________

She woke up the next morning on a couch, with a vague recollection of the end of the night.  
Her mind was hazy and her head pounded with a hangover that was, all things considering, pretty mild. Keyleth was a nervous drinker, but she could also handle her alcohol well.

This wasn’t her couch. It was the wrong texture, the wrong color, the wrong position in the room. It wasn’t her house, either, it was some other apartment. The whole atmosphere of the place was a shock; it felt crisp and clean, contrasting with Keyleth’s messy, suffocating home. 

She sat up and looked around, focused in on a faint movement she saw near the kitchen, which was small and separated from the living room only by a change from carpet to tile flooring. 

She recognized, quickly, that it was Scanlan, rooting through the fridge and humming to himself, and she was suddenly worried about what happened last night.

He closed to door and turned around, seeing Keyleth awake and staring at him like a deer in the headlights. He grinned the same wide, inviting smile from last night and made his way over the the couch. Keyleth retreated awkwardly to one side of it as he hopped comfortably onto the other, and she desperately scanned the room for a sign of anybody else.

“Mornin’, sleepy-head,” he said, not sounding tired at all. His hair was down from the ponytail it had been in, and he had changed from his mostly-purple stage wear into a t-shirt that was just a little too big.

“Is this your place?” Keyleth asked tentatively, and she got even more confused as Scanlan started laughing.

“You don’t remember? You were all pretty trashed so I called a cab for your buddies and drove you and Pike home. This is her apartment,” Scanlan explained, and Keyleth felt a wave of relief wash over her. She started to recall the end of the night, and that Scanlan hadn’t been drinking with them.

“Right, right, I remember,” Keyleth said, now noticing how dry her mouth was. She was still wearing her clothes from last night, and shifted uncomfortably. Her hair was a huge, messy puff of red, and she felt gross. “Where’s Pike?”

“Shower,” Scanlan said, with the subtlest eyebrow-waggle. Keyleth groaned internally, wishing she could shower before Pike saw her. She felt her chest seize with a familiar anxiety, and tried to shove it aside by closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths.

That worked about as well as it always did, which was to say not at all. Keyleth, when faced with anxiety, preferred to deal in the realm of distractions. The only one available was Scanlan, comfortable and casual, lounging opposite her on the couch. 

“So,” she started awkwardly, voice trembling just a bit, “you and Pike are pretty good friends. How long have you known each other?”

“Oh, a few years. I met her back at one of my first shows, she’d just happened to hear about it.” Keyleth could see the nostalgia in his eyes as he spun the story for her, “It was like a fucking movie. And then I saw her face, you know, she took the breath right out of me in the middle of a song. I had to talk to her, and I found her, and now here we are.”

Keyleth was interested and a little uncomfortable with the oversharing, but mostly she was concerned with the rapidly apparent fact that Scanlan was head over heels for Pike, and unashamed to admit it. He hadn’t shown any kind of jealousy, but Keyleth still didn’t know what to make of him, and she was a little wary that things might get weird.

There was a long silence, not quite awkward but approaching it, as Keyleth nervously fiddled with her hair and her clothes and Scanlan, ever casual, just looked into the distance.

“You’re pretty lucky,” Scanlan finally said, and his voice was so shockingly genuine that Keyleth didn’t know how to reply.

“Yeah, I, um, I…” She stuttered for a moment, searching for something, anything, to say, but abandoned her reply as Pike walked into the room, dressed in her normal casual t-shirt and shorts. Her hair was down, the first time Keyleth had ever seen it like that, and it kind of took her breath away.

“Morning, Pikey-poo,” Scanlan greeted in his sing-song voice, and she smirked, but didn’t pay him any mind. She cut across the room quickly as Scanlan rolled off some other compliment about her radiance and beauty.

He stopped, mid-sentence, as Pike reached the couch and placed a hand on the back of Keyleth’s head, pulling her into a kiss. If they could, Keyleth’s eyes went wider, and she tensed for a moment before relaxing into it, and for just a second, she’d never felt more beautiful. She looked into Pike’s soft, blue eyes, just inches from her own as they pulled apart and glanced down to see a faint, genuine smile that made her heart swell.

“Luckyyyyy…” She heard, quietly, from the other side of couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is updating an old fic instead of a writing a new one cheating for rarepair week? Maybe, but here we are anyway. I meant to pull Grog in here at some point but this seemed like a good ending point.


	4. Chapter 4

Keyleth’s mouth went dry and her eyes darted around while Pike looked at her, a soft gaze with a softer smile, self-satisfied even in its gentleness. She glanced down as Pike removed her hand from the back of Keyleth’s head, fingers almost getting caught in the tangle of red hair, and they both giggled in spite of themselves.

“Alright, lovebirds, I’m out!” Scanlan announced loudly, shattering to tenuous magic of the moment. Their giggles turned to full-on laughing as they watched him swing his legs over the arm of the couch (so extra, he could’ve just stood up) and hop off, landing ungracefully but taking it in stride. He gave an exaggerated wave and disappeared into the closest door (which was...possibly Pike’s bedroom?)

Keyleth felt light and giddy—Pike had kissed her! Right on the lips, and it wasn’t some sort of freak accident! Completely sober and intentional! She kissed her even though she had morning breath and looked like a sleepy couch hobo.

“We went on a date,” Keyleth whispered, almost to herself, and flushed bright red as soon as she realized what she had said _out loud_. She buried her face in her hand and her cheeks burned but she was still smiling through it all, a giddy sort of nervous that she felt like she could get used to.

“Yeah, we did,” Pike replied, and she pushed her forehead against Keyleth’s, making her look up and see the look of complete, unmistakable _fondness_ in her eyes. Their noses touched, just slightly, and they were suspended there, staring and feeling and coming to terms with just how great it was to be alive and in maybe-sort-of-love.

Their moment was broken, jarringly, by a loud yawn. They both looked up quickly, coming back to themselves and blushing, and Keyleth saw Pike’s face light up.

Standing outside the doorway to what she presumed was a bedroom was a veritable goliath of a man—almost seven feet tall and completely bald, with the broadest shoulders Keyleth had ever seen and a bristly, black beard. 

Pike grabbed her hand and climbed up on the couch, waving at the man excitedly. He seemed to wake up a little when he saw her, rubbing sleep from his eyes and staring dumbfoundedly at the confused redhead.

“This is Keyleth!” Pike said, pointing, and Keyleth gave a shy wave in response. “Keyleth, this is my brother, Grog.”

Brother. Right, Grog, the biggest person possibly in existence, was Pike’s _brother_. Stranger things could happen. 

“Hi, Grog,” Keyleth said meekly, continuing her awkward wave for longer than was necessary. 

“Hi,” he said bluntly, voice deep and gruff, holding his hand up in the air and half-heartedly shaking it side to side. He squinted at Pike with sleepy confusion, looking like he was trying very hard to remember something, but was erring on the side of giving up. 

Pike took Keyleth by the hand (that still got her every time, like a little jolt of electricity when their fingers touched) and stood up, gently tugging her over to Grog. 

Keyleth was used to being tall, at least as tall or taller than everyone she met, but Grog was _big_. He didn’t just tower over her, he dwarfed her, and little Pike looked comical standing near him.

He stuck out a large, meaty hand for Keyleth to shake. His grip was so firm she thought her fingers might break right there, like delicate twigs. He scanned her up and down, eyes skeptical and a little wary, then looked down at Pike.

“Is she cool?”

Pike smiled with the fondness only a sibling can have and said, “Yeah, she’s cool.”

Grog gave a grunt of approval, turned, and walked away to the kitchen while Keyleth stared owlishly.

“What was that?” She whispered down to Pike.

“He’s protective,” Pike said with a shrug and grin, still loosely holding on to Keyleth’s fingers with her much smaller hand. 

A shiver of worry ran down Keyleth’s spine, because Grog could easily snap her in half, and the last thing she wanted to deal with was Pike’s family not liking her. But...he didn’t seem to have a problem with her, just casually ignoring her presence after she’d gained Pike’s approval.

He was loudly rummaging through the fridge, stuffing something into his mouth. Keyleth got the distinct feeling that he was the little brother, regardless of stature.

“Breakfast, then I’ll drive you home?” Pike asked softly.

“Sounds great.”

She smiled and let go of Keyleth’s hand. “Grog!” She called, a little louder than necessary, and he whipped his head up so fast that a few crumbs fell out the side of his mouth. “Scanlan’s here!”

Grog’s eyes lit up, and on cue Scanlan stepped out of the room he’d disappeared into, holding a bundle of clothes in his hands. 

“Hey, buddy!” Grog shouted, giving an overeager wave and making his way towards him.

“Oh, hey Grog–” Scanlan was cut off by a strangled, indignant noise as Grog lifted him like it was nothing in lieu of a handshake. 

Pike giggled, and then caught sight of the bundle Scanlan still had clutched tightly to his chest. “Scanlan, are those my clothes?”

“I need to borrow them, I don’t have anything to wear!” He said adamantly.

“Yes you do, stop being dramatic,” Pike sighed, already half turned away and heading towards the kitchen.

“Just the blue skirt, and I’ll bring it back as soon as I’m done with it,” he said with his signature cheesy smile, wide and pleading. 

“Alright!” Pike called without looking back, and Keyleth saw her roll her eyes. Under her breath, she grumbled, “That’s the only good skirt I have.”

Keyleth lazily followed Pike while Scanlan and Grog disappeared out the front door, already laughing raucously. They practically exuded mayhem; Keyleth tried not to worry about it.

“They’ll keep each other busy for a while,” Pike said, humming softly as she pulled a few things out of the cabinet. “How do you feel about eggs?”

“Eggs are good.” Shit, that was stupid. 

“Scrambled?”

“Sure,” Keyleth said sheepishly, barely above a whisper. She took a seat at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands while Pike’s back was turned.

This table had certainly seen better days. It wobbled slightly under the weight of her elbows, and it was adorned with scratches and scuffs all along the surface. It really stood out against the rest of the pristine apartment.

Keyleth was tired a little hungover, sitting in an apartment that wasn’t her own near someone she wanted (needed) to like her. Needless to say, she was stressed, albeit less stressed than she’d expected.

Because Pike _did_ like her, she was the one pushing the relationship forward, she called it a date and she kissed Keyleth. And now she was making her breakfast, which was probably super romantic. So maybe there wasn’t that much to worry about, for once. 

“Coffee?” The question snapped Keyleth out her thoughts and she looked up quickly. Coffee sounded _great_. She nodded with an insistent ‘mh-hm!’

And there was the gentle silence that Pike seemed to command so gracefully, never awkward, filled only by her soft humming. Keyleth listened, really listened like she never had the chance to, and the melody sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.

She thought about it as it was accompanied by the _drip drip drip_ of the coffeemaker and the sudden, loud sizzling of the eggs in the pan.

Then it hit her, suddenly, the familiar pattern she knew not only in her head but in her hands, because it was the song she’d played for Pike those weeks ago, when they first met. Keyleth blushed suddenly, and was glad Pike wasn’t paying attention to her.

After a few minutes of the peaceful waiting, in which Keyleth’s cheeks returned to their normal color, Pike took the pan off the eye and poured two mugs of coffee (two random novelty mugs, one said “#1 Mom!” and the other had a cartoon cat face.)

“Cream and sugar are over here if you want,” Pike said while she stood on her tiptoes again to grab a few plates out of the cabinet. 

Keyleth obliged happily, trying to strategically time the embarrassing amount of sugar she dumped into the coffee so Pike wouldn’t see. She could handle coffee black, but only if she drained the mug in two gulps or less. Now wasn’t the time.

Pike made two plates of scrambled eggs, fluffy and covered with melted cheese, and took the seat opposite Keyleth.

“#1 Mom?” Keyleth asked as Pike raised the coffee to her lips, too curious to let it slip.

Pike chuckled and a nostalgic smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Gift from Scanlan. He got me ‘#1 Mom’ and himself ‘World’s Okayest Dad.’ He thought it was hilarious.”

“I get the appeal,” Keyleth said dismissively, remembering the countless similar things she’d gotten her friends over the years. She had a weakness for shitty puns and thrift stores, it was bound to happen. 

“Well,” Pike said thoughtfully, taking a contemplative sip to punctuate, “I did keep it.”

They laughed and ate and talked, the way they always did, where they started reserved but devolved into laughter and smiles. They spent a little too long like that, and it was creeping near eleven before they finally got up to leave.

The ride was fairly short; Pike lived pretty close, in fair walking distance on a day when the weather was nice. Keyleth was grateful. Cars always stressed her out, both the awkwardness of being a passenger and the nagging thought of a possible bloody death. 

Pike offered to walk her to her door when they arrived at the parking lot. Keyleth happily accepted.

They walked close to each other, hands brushing every couple of steps as their arms swayed at their sides, but neither made the move to grab the other’s. Keyleth swore her pace subconsciously slowed as she got closer to her door, unwilling to let go of the beautiful, perfect morning.

But there they stood, pausing for a second to see who would say goodbye first. Keyleth started to open her mouth, but got cut off by Pike, starting at the same time.

“Keyleth, I want to, um,” she stopped to collect herself, and Keyleth was caught off guard. Anxiety bubbled in her stomach, filled her veins, and she tapped her fingers against her thigh with a restless energy. “I want to just go ahead and say that I’m really sorry if I’m being too, uh, too forward.” Pike bit her lip and glanced up with such genuine concern that Keyleth thought she might burst.

She didn’t know what to say, and Pike bumbled forward in her silence. 

“‘Cause you know, I didn’t really make it clear that it was a date beforehand, and then I just kissed you in my apartment and that was probably really weird for you, and I don’t really know if this is what you were looking for out of this…” She looked like she wanted to keep going, but had run out of things to say.

“Pike,” Keyleth interjected, just as she took in another breath to continue, “It’s fine. I, uh, I like you. I’ve...always liked you.” She felt like she was in high school confessing a crush. The rhythm of her fingers tapping increased in tempo.

“So, do you wanna go on more dates?” 

“Um, yeah.”

“Ummm, do you want me to kiss you again?”

Keyleth blushed and nodded, and they both spent a moment in the doorway being awkward, flustered messes before Pike actually worked up the nerve. Even on her tiptoes, Keyleth had to bend down a little to meet Pike for a quick peck on the lips, both their cheeks flushed bright red.

“Bye!” Pike chirped and sped away back to her car, leaving Keyleth to sink back against the door and just take in the scope of it all. _Scream about it later,_ she forcefully reminded herself.

The door creaked open and she scanned the room for Percy, knowing he’d immediately pounce on her, but he wasn’t there; instead, she saw Vex.

“Hey, Kiki,” she called, and she glanced back at her with a grin that was absolutely _wicked_. Keyleth saw that Percy was there on the couch, sleeping with his head in Vex’s lap and her fingers trailing lazily through his hair. “Fun night?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this fic, anyone who's still reading! I'm thinking that the next chapter will be a little bit longer, and be the last one! So stick around for just a little longer, darlings.


	5. Chapter 5

“Veeeeex,” Keyleth whined, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead against the door frame. 

“Yes, darling?” Vex asked, leaning over with a sly grin, her tongue just poking out from her teeth in that _frustrating_ way it always did when she was smug.

“Did you hear any of that?”

“Any of what?” She asked innocently, with big, wide eyes.

“I hate you so, so much,” Keyleth grumbled. The giddiness in her stomach was gone now, replaced by sourness and hangover nausea. The uncomfortable malaise was interacting wonderfully with the tingling anxiety that iced through her body, meeting and mixing in fun and familiar ways. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She was enjoying this _far_ too much. Percy’s foot, hanging off the end of the couch, twitched, and he began to stir. 

“What’s up with him?” Keyleth asked hastily, desperate to talk about anything but herself.

“You know how he hates waking up, and he had a...night.” Vex faltered in an interesting way, casting her eyes to the ground, and Keyleth was immediately curious. “Come on!” Vex stood up and tugged Percy off the couch, his eyes fluttering open.

He mumbled something incoherent as Vex slung his arm around her shoulder and walked him to his room. Keyleth heard the dull thud of Percy falling into bed, some more mumbling that almost formed into words, and then Vex returned, looking a little haggard.

“You alright?” Maybe it was the anxiety that had already built up all morning, but Keyleth was starting to worry.

“The boys are being...especially dumb with each other.”

Keyleth winced and took a seat beside Vex on the couch, offering a hand on her knee as a tiny comfort. “Something happen?”

“They kissed a little while they were drunk after we got home,” Vex said, letting out a deep sigh and looking at the ceiling, “Which is fine. Whatever, needed to happen. But–” she inhaled sharply, “–Percy doesn’t remember it happening. And Vax does. And he’s being all… _Vax_ about it.”

Keyleth didn’t remember Percy getting quite _that_ drunk, but to be fair, she wasn’t paying much attention to him. She rested her head on Vex’s shoulder, unable to offer much more comfort than that of physical contact.

“Vax is Vax, he’ll get over it, and maybe Percy will remember once he actually wakes up,” Keyleth mumbled into her collar bone. 

“You look fucking exhausted, what did you get up to?” Vex nudged her and gave a sly wink, making Keyleth groan again. She really wasn’t getting out of talking about it.

“I woke up on Pike’s couch. Talked to Scanlan, met her brother, she made me breakfast, and I left.”

“Keyleth, dear, you know that’s bullshit,” Vex said sweetly, grabbing her friend by the shoulders, her famous grin returning full-force. “I want to know _everything_.”

“She kissed me,” Keyleth mumbled, the blush returning to her cheeks. She averted her eyes from Vex’s face, but just caught the sight of her mouth opening wide in a gasp.

“Keyleth! First kiss!” Vex squealed, shaking her shoulders a little bit, which didn’t help with the mild nausea.

“ _Not_ first kiss. Remember Kash?”

“Kash doesn’t count. First, like, relationship kiss. Real kiss. Keyleth!” Vex hugged her, and the giddiness was contagious. Keyleth smiled in spite of herself, an uncontrollable curl at the edge of her lips. 

“It’s weird,” Keyleth started, because it was, but she didn’t know quite how to articulate it, “I feel weird. A little scared. This is big, I think, like...not just for me. I think Pike, and her friends, they’re gonna stick. I _want_ them to stick.”

Vex cocked her head to the side, curious glint in her eye. “You mean, like, becoming part of the group?”

“Doesn’t it feel right?” Keyleth asked, familiar anxiety bubbling in her stomach. What if Vex, Percy, Vax, they didn’t see it like she did? Maybe she was blinded by her infatuation with Pike, too eager to get in good with her friends and accept them into the carefully balanced life she’d created with the three greatest people she’d ever known. 

Vex gave it a quiet moment of contemplation. Too long, far too long for Keyleth not to descend into a spiral of silent worry. “I suppose,” she said finally, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

“I like them,” she continued after another moment, “Her and Scanlan at least. And it would be good to have a friend with a car.”

Keyleth couldn’t help but laugh; Vex will be Vex, wry as they come through everything. 

“Did you actually listen in to the whole conversation at the door?” Keyleth asked, suddenly in a sharing mood. Maybe it was pride, but she wanted to talk about her little romance, the way someone like Pike (radiant, perfect) stumbled and stuttered over her like she was the beautiful one.

“Yeah, I pretty much caught the whole thing. She asked if she could kiss you, Kiki, that’s _adorable_.” 

Keyleth blushed and glanced down, unable to keep the smile from her face. “Yeah. _Yeah._ She’s so cute.” 

“ _You’re_ cute,” Vex replied, pulling Keyleth into a hug, where Keyleth buried her face into Vex’s shoulder and just _smiled_. She loved Vex, and Pike, and herself, and the universe for bringing them together in an intricate tangle, a web in which the bad was always worth the good a thousand times over. And in the moment, in the beautiful, fragile moment, Keyleth knew in her heart that this was perfect. 

Vex pulled back from the hug, still grinning and giggly, and gave Keyleth a quick kiss on the forehead. “Alright, darling, I’ve got to go scoop Vax off the floor. Good luck.” She winked and was out of the door before Keyleth could even think of something to say.

Keyleth had known Vex for a long time. She could see that beneath the joking, there was a hint of genuine worry to her features as she mentioned her brother, and in a small way, it broke her heart.

Perfection was fleeting. That was okay.

____________________________

Percy reluctantly woke up a half hour later. Keyleth caught him stumbling out of his room, glasses askew and hair a mess. She smiled and poured him a cup of coffee, which he graciously accepted

She could grill him about what happened, see if he remembered anything, but she truly didn’t want to. Percy was clever, much more clever than her, and he’d shut up the second he felt anything was off. Keyleth was about as subtle as a bull in a china shop; the best thing in this situation was her silence. 

But she did watch, just casually, looking at Percy’s face as he distantly sipped black coffee. He looked dead inside, which was fairly standard, but Keyleth wondered if there was an extra layer of pensiveness to his blank stare, an extra guilt in his hunched shoulders.

Percy, after years, was still a mystery. Keyleth sat across from him at the kitchen table as he drained the final dregs of his coffee, a spark of life finally returning to his eyes. 

“Hey Percy,” she started, unable to wipe the grin off her face, “Guess who got kissed?”

In retrospect, she thought as his eyes widened with comical alarm, that was a bad choice of wording. At least it answered some questions. 

“Who?” He asked, a little hoarsely.

“That was a rhetorical question, Percy,” Keyleth giggled. 

“Right, right,” He said, shaking his head slightly, “Things with Pike went well?”

“ _Yes._ ” Keyleth waited a moment for a response, but got only a blank stare. It was like talking to a brick wall.

“Congratulations,” Percy murmured after an entirely too long pause. Keyleth gave up on him with a sigh; she let him shuffle, zombie-like, around the apartment while she went about her business.

Her business, in this case, was taking a shower. Because she was still in the clothes she slept in and her hair was like a frizzy lion’s mane. 

When the hot water hit her skin, she felt muscles she didn’t realize were tensed relax, and a long, deep sigh escaped her. She lingered there until the hot water started to give out (which it did fairly quickly), running her fingers through her hair and taking in the events of the last few weeks of her life. 

It felt like a bit of whirlwind, even though it shouldn’t. It had been weeks, after all, that was normal, that wasn’t rushing into things. But it felt so fast. The sudden shift in Keyleth’s life that’d idled for years. She’d been plucked from her comfort zone of the gentle malaise she’d built with her friends—beautiful, broken, perfect.

The heat was starting to wane as she washed the last bits of conditioner from her hair, and Keyleth reluctantly stepped out of the shower. It was pleasantly cool in the apartment, a contrast to the unrelenting heat of the last few weeks. 

She put on some loose-fitting clothes. The shirt was a little paint-splattered, but she’d grown to like them that way. The thought prompted her to look at the painting on her wall, now complete after the inspiration that Pike had afforded her. 

She chuckled to herself, and made a mental note to show it to Gilmore, to see if it’s what he’d pictured when she’d asked (sheepishly, expecting a no) if she was allowed to paint on the walls. She still thought the only reason he let her is because she’d brought Vax as backup, to do a little extra convincing with his puppy-dog eyes.

Pike, Pike, Pike—it seemed like all she could could think about nowadays. Keyleth’s lips curled into a smile because, really, she couldn’t complain. It was a nice thought that carried her to sleep as she lay down on her mattress (old, sagging, comfy as ever) and took a nap. She dreamt of wildflowers and kisses like honeysuckle.

 

Keyleth’s hair was (unsurprisingly) still wet when she woke up, and even more of mess than when she’d gotten in the shower. It was her fault for not brushing it before she went to sleep, but what the hell? It’s not like she was doing anything today, let it be an uncontrollable tangle. 

She pulled out her phone and checked the time. 3:30. Great, the day was practically over and she’d done next to nothing.

Popping her head out of her bedroom, she could hear Percy milling around in the kitchen—plates clinking, the sink turning on and off. She marvelled for a moment at the thought of him actually doing the dishes rather than letting them pile up to dangerous heights in the sink. 

“Percy!” She called, starting to wander into the living room.

“Yes?” He called back, not moving from his position in the kitchen.

“Are you alive now?”

“Are you?” He asked, just as Keyleth made it into the room.

He sounded much better, but still looked...surprisingly dead. He had bags under his eyes, and his usual straight-backed posture had given way to slumping shoulders. He had that distant, pensive stare that he always adopted when he was worried about something, and Keyleth felt a pang of guilt. She hadn’t been the best friend lately, too wrapped up in her own romantic endeavors to help Percy out with his. 

“Nice nap?” He continued before she could get a word in.

“Yeah, um. Percy,” Keyleth started, fumbling and unsure of how deep to pry, “I talked to Vex this morning…”

His eyes went wide and he nearly dropped the plate he was holding, just barely catching it before it slipped out of his grip. His eyes darted around like a cornered animal.

“I just want to ask, really, have you _considered_ just having a conversation about it instead of getting all...avoid-y.”

Percy relaxed his muscles, put the plate down and sat at the tiny kitchen table with his head in his hands. “I don’t want to,” He mumbled, words muffled.

Keyleth heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes, patting him gently on the shoulder. “Just talk about it. No matter what happens, we’ll still all be friends, being awkward and hush hush is just gonna make you miserable.”

“You’re such a hypocrite, Kiki,” Percy shot back without looking up.

“This isn’t about me, Percy.” He wasn’t entirely wrong, but that wasn’t the point. She gave him a hard slap on the back. “Come on. Get up, go over to Vex’s.”

Percy ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stick up, and begrudgingly stood. “I _really_ don’t want to,” He grumbled, one last plea for some kind of sympathy.

“Tough,” Keyleth said softly, combing the stray pieces of hair back down, “Go.”

He gave her one last painful glance before getting up and making his way out the door. Keyleth half expected him to chicken out on the way over, but at least it was progress.

Meanwhile, she had the apartment to herself. It was a nice day, not too hot, and the sunlight streamed beautifully through the windows. She focused briefly on some studying, but couldn’t really get in the mood for academia. 

She felt content, but drained. She was still recovering from the night out, and despite the nap she still felt like she was running on empty. It was something she knew she couldn’t fix with coffee, only time.

So, she consigned herself to doing essentially nothing, spending the day laying on the couch and catching up on a few shows. It was the kind of lazy that she couldn’t even feel guilty about because it was so nice, in the quiet still of the empty apartment. 

Keyleth went to bed early, before Percy got home. She took that as a good sign, that he’d decided to stay over at Vex’s. Or maybe he’d just gotten hit by a car on the way over, or the way back, or he was so distraught that he’s drowning his sorrow in some bar somewhere.

Keyleth was just needlessly stressing herself out, like she always did. If something had happened to him, she’d know. Still, she shot him a quick text, ‘How’d it go?’

While she waited for a reply, she scrolled through her contacts, wondering who she hadn’t talked to in awhile. Pike hadn’t texted her since she got home, which was a little odd, because Pike was almost always texting her. 

‘Hey, I just wanted to say I had a really good time…’ No, she thought, holding backspace, that’s stupid.

‘That was really fun, we should do it again sometime…’ No, this all sounded so insincere and desperate.

While she was deliberating, her phone buzzed, and all Percy’s one word reply said was, ‘Well.’

That was a weight off her chest, at least. Reinvigorated, she typed out, ‘I had so much fun, can’t wait to see you again!’ and hit send before she could convince herself not to. Now practically buzzing with anxiety, she realized how hard it’d be to sleep.

Still, she was exhausted. In the end, the tiredness that’d consumed her Saturday won over and she could feel herself drifting off. Just a few moments before sleep overtook her, her phone buzzed again.

‘You too <3.’

____________________________

Percy woke Keyleth when he entered the apartment, and she could tell by the look on his face that things went much better than ‘well.’

He did not like to show what he was thinking, mostly, but sometimes Percy had a glow about him that couldn’t be hidden, a warmness to his smile that indicated everything, at that moment, was going to be alright. It warmed Keyleth’s heart to see him like that.

Anyway, she could sympathize. She didn’t have a reason to write off Percy’s romantic gushing anymore because she was in the thick of it, too, head over heels.

She didn’t ask him directly. Unlike Vex, she found it rude to pry, and she would much rather pick up on the subtext of the situation, or wait for Percy to say something himself. She passed him in the kitchen and raised an eyebrow; he smirked back. It was all she needed to know.

Everything was peaceful, and she was content, but there was a buzzing deep in her chest that made her uneasy. This wasn’t unusual, for her anxiety to flare up even in the most innocuous of circumstances, but it was still unpleasant. Her peaceful Sunday was rife with restlessness and unfounded worry. 

There was a jolt in her chest when she saw Pike’s name pop up on her phone, playing its generic little tune. Keyleth took a deep breath and answered, determined to shove the anxiety to the back of her mind and just enjoy it.

“Hey,” Pike said, cute and soft and brimming with affection.

“Hey,” Keyleth replied, unable to stop her smile. 

“So,” Pike started, pausing briefly, “I know I just saw you yesterday, but…” She stopped again.

“Uh-huh,” Keyleth said to fill the silence.

“But I wanted to ask if maybe you’d wanna go get dinner with my later today, like, a _real_ date and not a ‘come see my friend’s shitty band’ date?”

“Aw, I liked Scanlan’s band!”

“Really? Don’t tell him, it’ll go to his head,” Pike giggled, “But, do you?”

“Oh, yeah, of course. When—?”

“I was thinking I’d pick you up around six-thirty, is that alright?”

“Yeah, perfect. I can’t wait to see you!”

“You too. Alright, bye!”

“Bye,” Keyleth said, and Pike hung up. She tossed her phone on her bed and put her face in her hands.

She wanted to see Pike, but she immediately regretted agreeing to go out with her. She already felt sick to her stomach, was already dreading the whole experience. She paced around her room, unsure of what to do with herself. She felt like crying or screaming or both, but she definitely didn’t feel like sticking herself into a stressful situation where her romance was on the line.

She took a deep breath and tried to steady her shaking hands. It would only be a few hours, and she had time to prepare herself. Okay.

She tried to burn off some of her nervous energy by cleaning, which the apartment desperately needed. She found herself getting frequently distracted, but she pushed through, and after an hour or so the living room floor was at least clear. She tossed a pile of clothes from her floordrobe into the hamper, making a mental note that it was almost full. That was something to worry about later.

Percy, she knew, could sense her franticness. They’d lived together for a while now, and known each other longer. He was intimately familiar with all her tells, and he snuck up behind her while she was absentmindedly scrubbing a plate that was already clean.

“Keyleth,” he said firmly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She turned around sheepishly to face him. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just having a day,” Keyleth said honestly, because it was true. Percy knew this. 

“Is there something else bothering you?” He asked. Damn him for being so supportive, she wanted to wallow by herself. But Keyleth knew she’d do the same thing, had done the same thing many times. They knew each other like the backs of their own hands, for better or worse.

“I’ve got a date with Pike later today and I don’t want to be… _like this_.” The honesty was painful, but it was the only way to shake him. 

Percy sighed and squeezed her shoulder, smiling faintly. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. You like her, right?”

“Yeah?”

“And she likes you?”

“...Yeah?”

“It’ll be fine, then,” he said, “Try to relax, just a bit. You know you’ll wind yourself up running around like this. And if it's really bad, don't go. She'll understand.” 

Keyleth hated being told to relax, but she knew exactly what Percy meant by it. He knew she knew herself better than anyone else, knew her limits and what made her feel better. It was almost frustrating. 

Percy left, calling faintly from the other room, “If you need anything, I’ll be here.”

Keyleth sighed and started making herself a cup of tea. Cancelling wasn't an option, she wouldn't do that to Pike. It would be a long day.

____________________________

She breathed, she relaxed, she tried to take her mind off her worries. And by the time six-thirty rolled around, Keyleth was really starting to feel better.

Maybe it was Percy’s vote of confidence, or the unexplainable whims of her brain, but the electricity crackling through her had subsided. There was a knock on the door, and she felt a pleasant jolt of excitement. Not anxiety, excitement.

This would be okay. She would be okay.

Keyleth opened to door and Pike was beaming up at her, radiantly beautiful. She clutched a bouquet of sunflowers in one hand.

Flowers. Pike never ceased to amaze. Keyleth had to catch her breath; she blinked and managed a dazed, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Pike shot back, and Keyleth had to admit the tiny, awkward greeting they kept defaulting to was starting to grow on her. Maybe it would be their thing. Maybe they’d have a _thing_. 

They were both smiling and blushing and trying their hardest not to be weird, and Pike held her bouquet out for Keyleth to take. “So I, uh, I saw these, and I just thought of you, and this is a date, so…”

Keyleth took them sheepishly, face flushed a bright red. “Thanks,” she squeaked. She turned to look for somewhere to put them, knowing full well that there wasn’t a single vase in the apartment.

“Hold on just a second,” she said, darting into the kitchen. She opened a few cabinets before she found a mid-sized jug, clear with floral print. It was something she’d picked up at a yard sale because it was cute, but never really used. She filled it halfway with water and put the flowers in.

Pike poked her head around the corner curiously, just as Keyleth was positioning the flowers on the counter beside the sink.

“I didn’t want them to just die,” Keyleth explained sheepishly.

Pike smiled warmly. “That’s cute.”

Another jolt of electricity went through Keyleth’s chest, making her face even redder. “We should go,” she said quickly.

Pike nodded and Keyleth followed her out to her car, trying to collect herself just a bit. She really was a mess around Pike; as soon as she saw her face she melted and didn’t know what to do with herself.

“Where're we going?” She asked in the passenger seat as Pike started the car.

“There’s this little cafe in town, I think you’ll really like it.”

Maybe it was nerves about the date, or Keyleth’s regular and consistent fear of driving, but she felt her pace quicken. She quietly stared out the window, trying to control her breathing. It wasn’t that bad at the moment, but it _could_ be bad, and there was no way out, and that made everything worse.

Pike was left in awkward silence while Keyleth sat rigidly, the only sign of motion being the gentle tapping of her fingers on her thigh.

“You alright?” Pike asked softly, after nearly ten minutes of silence. It caught Keyleth off guard, and she jumped a little.

“Oh, yeah, I, uh, I. I’m alright. Cars stress me out a little.” She couldn’t help the shake in her voice. She clutched her side with one hand until the knuckles went white, felt the sharp press of her nails through the thin fabric of her shirt. Her bottom lip stung underneath the pressure of her teeth.

“If we park up here we can walk the rest of the way, if you’d like. It’s a beautiful street, and not very long,” Pike said cheerfully, giving a tentative smile. She kept one hand on the wheel and held the other out towards Keyleth, who took it after a moment of hesitation. She tried to keep her grip from being too tight.

“That sounds nice,” Keyleth said, exhaling slowly. Within a few minutes, Pike parked and they got out of the car.

It was actually a really nice walkway; it was a part of town Keyleth had seen before but never explored, a nice area for window shopping. They were parked in front of a small bakery, and down the street Keyleth could see an antiques store and a book shop. 

“Feel better?” Pike asked.

“Yeah,” Keyleth said, and she did. For the most part. It wasn’t as bad, but she still felt the desperate need to flee, to get home as soon as possible. She felt like a cornered animal, but she smiled through it. 

Pike took her hand. In a way, it made her feel a little better. She walked her down to the cafe slowly, pointing out shops she’d been to before and things about the walkway she found particularly beautiful. 

The cafe was unassuming and rustic, just on the corner of the street. The interior was dimly lit and cozy, with a handful of wooden tables and a counter displaying cake at the front. 

The waitress was a tall woman with angular features and a sly glint in her eye with a name tag that said ‘Zahra.’ Keyleth vaguely, vaguely remembered her from a year or two ago.

Zahra, however, seemed to recognize her instantly, eyes lighting up. “Keyleth? It’s been too long, darling!” The distinctive voice made the memories come flooding back; Zahra and Vex had hit it off the night she met Kashaw.

“Yeah, it really has, good to see you,” Keyleth said, hoping she didn’t sound insincere. 

“You too, and who’s your friend?” She started walking and waved for them to follow her to a table; the restaurant was nearly empty, and Keyleth dreaded to think she’d have to worry about an extra person to converse with. Zahra was great but, like Vex, was a lot to handle and, unlike Vex, didn’t fill her with a comfortable familiarity. 

“I’m Pike,” Pike answered, grabbing Keyleth’s hand again. Zahra gave Keyleth a subtle glance, seeming to take the hint. 

“Right, then, I’ll get out of your hair. Tell Vex I said hello, and to _call me_. I miss her dearly.” And with a wave and a wink, Zahra disappeared and left them alone.

“I didn’t know you knew people who work here,” Pike said casually, picking up a menu and flipping through it.

“Well, _know_ is a strong word. I think I’ve only spoken to Zahra a few times before. We met through a...mutual friend.” Keyleth didn’t really want to get into the subject of Kashaw, so she tried to brush it off.

Keyleth scanned the menu quickly, ready to order and have everything be over with. She doubted she’d be able to eat with how stressed she was, so she went with a light, inexpensive salad. Pike insisted on paying, too, and she didn’t want to have something expensive and untouched on her conscious.

Things started out relatively well. Pike seemed to pick up that Keyleth wasn’t feeling chatty and carried most of the conversation, and Zahra didn’t bother them too much—just light conversation as she refilled their drinks or brought out their food. It was a relatively low-stress restaurant experience. And yet.

Keyleth felt like time had slowed to a crawl, felt like she had heightened senses like some kind of comic book superhero. Everything was so _loud_ , and as time went on more people started to filter into the cafe. It was still only half full, but it felt like everybody was staring at her. With bright red curls and a mess of freckles, she wasn’t exactly inconspicuous. 

It seemed like hours, when in reality they only ate for about forty-five minutes. By the end of dinner, Pike seemed uneasy, and kept glancing worriedly at Keyleth. She paid the bill and they said goodbye to Zahra, who reminded Keyleth again to say hi to Vex. 

It was almost over. Just a walk back to the car and a drive home. Keyleth had largely stopped trying to appear fine, just putting on the thinnest veil of being a functional human being she could without entirely losing it. She knew Pike had noticed, but she could freak out about it later, just not now. Not in front of her. 

They walked down the street in silence, Keyleth biting her bottom lip and breathing heavily, wringing her hands together in some vain attempt to burn off her anxious energy. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, a steady rhythm of fear.

Pike was looking dejectedly at the ground, and she stopped for a moment, and looked up at Keyleth in the faint light of the sun that had almost set. “Is something wrong?” She asked quietly, a heartbreaking amount of sincere sadness in her voice. Like it was somehow her fault.

That was a lot. That was too much. Keyleth could feel the exact moment the anxiety bubbled over in her. She nodded slightly, and felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes. Her lip quivered in a tenuous moment where her body decided it was done keeping it together, and then the tears started streaming down her cheeks.

_Not in front of Pike,_ screamed the mantra repeating in her head, but she couldn’t stop herself from crying because everything was just _too much_. Pike looked worried for a moment, biting her lip and glancing around, but then her eyes lit up.

“Come on,” she said gently, grabbing Keyleth by the hand and pulling her into the small bookstore she’d noticed on the walk up.

Keyleth didn’t have much of a choice but to listen, and she let herself be pulled along. They zoomed right past the unfazed clerk and to the back of the store, lost among a maze of tall shelves, Keyleth all the while trying to wipe tears from her eyes with her free hand.

Pike sat her down, both their backs pressed against a shelf in the back of the store. It was silent, nobody around but the two of them.

Keyleth clutched Pike’s hand and squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the tears leaking out but too tired now to do anything about it. She put her head on Pike’s shoulder and left it there for a minute, unable to think any real, coherent thought. It was all buzzing, too fast to understand.

Pike rubbed her thumb against the back of Keyleth’s hand and let her sit there for a few minutes, her breathing slowly returning to a normal pace. 

Keyleth felt drained, like all the energy had been sucked out of her at once. Her head felt fuzzy, not with anxious static but with tired cotton. She picked up her head from Pike’s shoulder, and could see the wet spot on her shirt that she’d left from crying.

“I’m sorry,” she said, and the words felt heavy in her mouth, like her tongue was made of lead. “I’m sorry you had to see–”

Pike cut her off with a quiet ‘shhh’, and shifted a little closer to her. “Don’t be sorry, I shouldn’t have made you go if you didn’t feel comfortable.”

“But I _wanted_ to, I just…” Keyleth trailed off, unsure of how to explain. “I shouldn’t be _like_ this.”

“Keyleth,” Pike said sternly, and she looked her in the eye with an intensity that was almost scary, “You know that’s not true.”

“Yeah, I know,” Keyleth murmured and put her head in her hands, feeling the beginnings of a headache. She groaned softly; she was so done with everything, with herself and her stupid anxiety and the world for being so stressful.

“I understand if you don’t want to...do the dating thing anymore,” she muttered after a few seconds. She’d accepted that she’d ruined this relationship, might as well cut her losses instead of keeping her hopes up.

“Keyleth,” Pike said, and the vulnerability in her voice made her look, and she felt like crying again when she saw how genuinely _hurt_ Pike looked. “Do you really think I’d do that?”

“You still like me?” Keyleth couldn’t help her smile. Her voice sounded gross and croaky, but in the moment, she didn’t care.

Pike cupped her cheek gently and brought her down into a short, sweet kiss. “Yeah,” she breathed, pressing her forehead against Keyleth’s.

Keyleth kissed her again, longer this time, but broke off when she started laughing. “We should get out of this random store,” she giggled, a crooked smile on her red, puffy face.

“Oh god, I hope they don’t care that we didn’t even buy something,” Pike said with a grin.

“You want…” Keyleth picked something random off the shelf, and snorted when she saw the title, “Fifty Shades of Grey?”

“I think I’ll pass,” Pike said, standing up and offering Keyleth a hand. She took it and got to her feet, still a little wobbly but feeling much better.

The clerk didn’t so much as glance as them as they walked out, buried in a novel. Keyleth glanced at the cover; it was something about dragons.

They were still giggly as they made their way back to the car, riding the high of being in a relationship that was new and unsure, but filled with passion and longing and stupid, stupid declarations of affection.

And maybe it was love, or it would be, Keyleth thought as they listened to cheesy pop on the way home. She looked at Pike’s face, the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed, the way she smiled like she was getting away with something, and she thought that this was worth hoping for.

They stood in the doorway of her apartment, and Keyleth knew she should probably say goodbye. But strangely, unlike any time in her recent memory, she didn’t feel like being alone.

“Do you want to stay? Just for a little while,” she asked tentatively, “Watch a movie or something?”

“I’d love to,” Pike replied, shutting the door almost before Keyleth had time to finish her second sentence.

They giggled and put on a movie that neither of them watched, too wrapped in each other to care. Percy stepped out of his room and saw the two of them asleep in a tangle on the couch, faintly illuminated by the flashing of the television.

He smiled fondly, turned off the TV, and let them be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all, folks! A serious thank you to everybody who read and left a kudos/comment! I can confidently say that this is one of my favourite fics I've ever written, and the support you guys have given it has made it so rewarding. I love you all!


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